The present invention is directed to a method for wireless retrieval of information. More particularly, the invention is directed to a method of providing data from an information database in response to a request from a mobile station on a wireless network.
It is known in the prior art that an information service provider can establish a database which can be accessed by subscribers to obtain particular desired information. Such information might include news, weather, traffic, etc. One configuration for providing such information to a subscriber is illustrated in FIG. 1A. In that configuration a subscriber computer 100 is connected via modem 101 to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 1 and through that network to a database service provider 102. A subscriber at computer 100 can generate queries or requests that are transmitted to the database service provider which then provides a response back to the subscriber.
While this configuration can be helpful to a subscriber who has a computer and a connection to the PSTN, access to these informational databases or information service providers is otherwise still somewhat limited.
In today's world the use of wireless communications continues to expand at a rapid pace. More and more people have cellular phones which provide them with mobile communication in an ever expanding wireless environment. However, at present there is no configuration in the wireless environment that facilitates the access of a database of an information service provider via a mobile station.
It is known that with the enhanced functionality available to mobile stations, such as prescribed by a protocol referred to as IS-136, message packets can be sent to a wireless communication devices operating within the protocol. In particular, this type of messaging is referred to as a Short Messaging Service (SMS).
FIG. 1B illustrates a known wireless arrangement for providing short messages in accordance with the IS-136 protocol. In that arrangement a mobile station 110 is in wireless communication with a base station 120. The base station is coupled to a mobile switching center (MSC) 130. A message center (MC) 146 is coupled to the MSC 130. The message center stores messages for mobile units and may use a personal identification number (PIN) that is associated with a given subscriber to correlate messages and subscribers. The message center then forwards the messages to the designated mobile station via MSC 130 and base station 120 in a format known as the Short Message Services (SMS) Format. This format is well known in the art and is described in the IS-136 protocol.
To date, no one has explored how implementation of the Short Messaging Service could enhance the ability of a subscriber to retrieve information.